District 109 Enrollment Shrinks Next Year

With four less elementary school classrooms in next year, the School Board approved the honorable dismissal of two full-time and three part-time teachers at its meeting March 19.

Superintendent Renee Goier explained the move as a requirement to give everyone sufficient notice and expressed the hope the teachers would all be offered a contract before the next school year begins.

“We have declining enrollment in kindergarten and four less elementary school classes,” Goier said. “We are hopeful we can hire them back but have to give notice now. There were no retirements.” The full timers are first-year teachers.

Honorable dismissal occurs when the staff must shrink because of less available positions and no departures of any teachers due to retirement or other reasons, according to Goier. The names of the teachers were not released.

At the start of the meeting, the Board honored champions in the district-wide Spelling Bees, the middle school Geography Bees and a pair of wrestlers who brought state championship trophies home to Deerfield.

, who won the Spelling Bee and went on to compete in the Lake County event, was honored along with his sister, Kyla, the winner, Jonah Hirsch from , Tess Ballis of , Xander Ambrose of and Elana Charlson of .

Geography Bee title holders were Benjamin Palmer of Shepard and Alex Spungen of Caruso. Palmer competes in the State Finals March 30.

In wrestling, Holden Heller of Caruso and Andrew Mehrholz of Shepard were feted for winning state crowns.